MODEL MONDAY: Erica Campbell’s Modeling Career Began After She Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Cancer

Modeling is a way to exploit one’s body for all models, but for some it is also a way to reclaim it. Cancer survivor Erica Campbell, who watched her body change drastically as she underwent treatment, saw the later was a necessary step towards true healing.

“Iam a stage four blood cancer survivor. March 28th of 2013 I was diagnosed,” Campbell told HelloBeautiful.

It was Campbell’s illness that ushered her into the world of modeling. “My first runway was a fashion show for a cancer awareness event,” she shared. This took place in 2014 as the rise of the body positivity movement was gaining visibility.

“I love being apart of such an amazing empowerment movement,” said Campbell. That movement led her to participate in the model search for CurvyNoire, a New York Fashion Week event hosted by MadameNoire and Maui Bigelow.

A post shared by Erica Campbell (@erica_survived) on May 17, 2019 at 3:17am PDT

“I definitely like to be apart of movements like CurvyNoire any time I get a chance, and basically show young girls that I don’t look like what I have been through and that you too can do the same,” Campbell continued.

Media often depicts the woman struggling with losing her hair to cancer but there are many other physical manifestations it ignores.Working in an industry devoted to external beauty has provided Campbell with a platform‍ from which to spearhead some uncomfortable conversations. She founded a movement called Feel Beautiful, Look Beautiful to make space to examine what it looks like to reckon with the parts of cancer that often don’t get talked about.

“Sometimes I feel unattractive. I feel unpretty. I feel, and it’s a strong word, but ugly at times,” admitted Campbell.

“I have hyperpigmentation with my face and I feel like a lot of times…I do wear makeup I wear foundation, I wear some type of covering on my face to hide those blemishes. So that was a result from the drugs, chemotherapy and the changes came after my battle with cancer. Over the last 2 ½ 3 years I feel like it has gotten worse. I was going back and forth to a dermatologist using creams trying to figure out how to lighten it up. I have Frontal fibrosis alopecia and with that type of alopecia it causes discoloration to the skin.”

A post shared by Erica Campbell (@erica_survived) on May 8, 2019 at 7:48am PDT

As someone who had already had several complications during treatment the aftermath has been been especially harrowing for her. “I had so many ups and downs throughout my battle,” she said.

“With MRSA, shingles in and out of the hospital, and just the blood clots and the daily sickness and chemotherapy treatment…I went through a lot during the journey to overcome it. It Left behind scars on my chest from the port they used during chemo treatment. I have two scars cause one of the scars got infected by MRSA after a couple of weeks when it didn’t clear up, I ended up having an emergency surgery like 3 weeks after I got the port.”

6. Coming Into "A Different World"

7. A Surprising Confession

8. A Marriage

9. An Oscar Nomination

10. The Ultimate Survivor

THE ULTIMATE DIVA: 10 Reasons We Love Diahann Carroll

[caption id="attachment_3060593" align="alignleft" width="796"] Source: ABC Photo Archives / Getty[/caption]
On Friday (Oct. 4), legendary actress Diahann Carroll lost her battle with cancer. She was only 84-years-old.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar-nominee and Tony winner's daughter, Suzanne Kay, announced that the actress passed away inside her Los Angeles home on Friday.
Carroll was best known for becoming the first African-American actress not to play a maid on television with her lead role in the NBC comedy Julia, which centered on played Julia Baker, a nurse who was raising her young son after losing her husband. She also the first Black woman to lead her own show.
In addition, Carroll played the iconic Dominique Deveraux on ABC's Dynasty and its spinoff The Colbys, was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the 1974 film Claudine, and won a Tony as well! The Bronx-born actress and singer a force to be reckoned with, and so to celebrate her beautiful life, here are 10 reasons why we will always love and admire Ms. Carroll.
Rest in power.